Prepayment when renting in Phuket: how much is normal

Prepayment is where both the booking and the risk live. Here is what the Phuket market considers normal in 2026.

Standard practice

• Short stays (days to a month): 30–50% deposit, balance at check-in
• Monthly and longer: first month (or part of it) upfront; the security deposit is paid separately at check-in
• High season and the New Year window: up to 100% for short bookings — owners protect themselves from no-shows on peak dates (peak-date rules)

Red flags

• 100% for a long stay months ahead with no contract
• Transfer to a «friend's personal account» that doesn't match the landlord's name
• A price well below market plus urgency: «pay today or lose it» — the classic scam opener

Before any transfer, in writing

A contract with dates, unit and cancellation terms; verification of the counterparty (10-minute checklist); a video call from the unit if you're booking remotely. In our catalogue that's the standard flow: contract first, payment second, free cancellation written down.

Getting a prepayment back

Cancellation terms only exist on paper: until what date is the refund full, after which — partial. A verbal «of course we'll refund» has no force. Market norm is free cancellation 15–30 days before check-in — anything stricter should be priced accordingly.